


Conspiracy to Care

by betheflame



Series: Shorts & Drabbles 2020 [5]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: 5+1 Things, Getting Together, Jarvis (Iron Man movies) is a Good Bro, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-10
Updated: 2020-03-10
Packaged: 2021-02-28 23:33:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23095642
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/betheflame/pseuds/betheflame
Summary: Steve knows just who to turn to for help taking care of Tony: Jarvis.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Series: Shorts & Drabbles 2020 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1647499
Comments: 39
Kudos: 302
Collections: Captain America/Iron Man Bingo





	Conspiracy to Care

**Author's Note:**

> This was born out of ko telling me to write my sweetspot, which of course is Stony domestic fluff, and reading a real flood of pro-Jarvis fics recently. Big thanks to Ferret for the idea for #5. 
> 
> A fill for Cap-IM Bingo 2020: O2 "Five Things"

Prologue

“Jarvis?” Steve whispered quietly, unsure of how to proceed.

“Yes, Captain?”

“Tony said I could talk to you, to ask you questions, to… Can I?”

There was a pause and then a soft click that Steve wondered meant Jarvis was sighing. “I am here to provide whatever you need, Captain.”

Here goes nothing.

“Then what I need is help taking care of Tony.”

There was a silence and Steve knew he’d overstepped. Jarvis wasn’t there for Steve’s inability to communicate how much he loved Tony or how much he worried about him - Jarvis was there for the needs of SI, and the team, and -

“I’d be honored, Captain.”

And that, at 2am on a random Thursday in June of 2013, is how this all began.

* * *

1: July 2013

“Captain,” Jarvis’ voice woke Steve from a nap.

“What, I’m up, I’m up,” Steve blinked the sleep out of his eyes and shook his head to clear the cobwebs as he sat up on the couch in the common room. Jarvis had installed himself on Steve’s phone the week previous and Steve was still getting used to having the AI everywhere. Earlier that day, Jarvis had interrupted Steve’s run to have him stop at a Duane Reade because Tony had used the last of the gauze on a burn and Jarvis could track that Steve was near the pharmacy.

It was 5pm and Steve had spent the last few hours sparring with Nat and Clint, but they had gone to a SHIELD function that night and he was left on his own. Bruce was in India, Thor was off planet, and Tony was…

“Sir just heard from Ms Potts that she is unable to attend this evening’s fundraiser and is distressed.”

“Are we crossing into tattling, Jarvis? Because there’s nothing I can do about that.”

Jarvis was silent, which meant that there was something Steve could do about that and the uppity AI was disappointed he didn’t already realize that.

“I’m going to a gala, aren’t I?”

“That’s the spirit, Captain. Ms. Potts already suggested your presence. Sir will be amenable” Steve could swear he could hear Jarvis beam at him in pride.

“Is he in his rooms?”

Jarvis affirmed that Tony was in his private office and that Ms. Potts had just left. Steve made his way there and was surprised to find Tony sitting at his desk, staring at a glass of whiskey instead of drinking it.

“Tony?”

Tony looked up and blinked rapidly. Were those tears? “El Capitan, how can I help you on this fine Friday afternoon?”

“I heard you may need a date to a monkey suit party?”

“My word travels fast in these parts,” Tony barked out a laugh that had no humor. “Did you also catch wind that it’s because Pep’s new boyfriend booked them a surprise getaway to some spa in the mountains and so not only am I single this evening, but glaringly so?”

“Nope, missed that,” Steve replied calmly. “But I look pretty good holding up a wall.”

Tony peered at Steve. “You hate these things.”

“They’re part of the job.”

“This isn’t for the Avengers.”

Steve shrugged, begging his mouth to not let the words fall out. _But it’s for you, Tony, and you are my everything and so of course I’ll go._ “The boundaries are a bit fuzzy.”

“Why.”

The word was a statement, and a question, and came with a small side of fear. Steve wondered if he was as much of a puzzle to Tony as Tony was to him sometimes.

“Because I can, because you need it, and because I like helping you, Tony. Friends do this kinda thing,” Steve said, thankful that he hadn’t led with _‘Because the idea of anyone else going with you to these things, even Pepper, makes me so angry I want to punch the Pope.’_

“Okay, but there’s something you’re not telling me,” Tony said. “I’ll figure it out.”

_God, I hope you would. This is getting excruciating._

“When should I be ready?”

“7:30. I’m giving the keynote at 8:30 and it’s in Queens.”

“Gross.”

“You can shower the borough off when we get back, Drama Cap,” Tony laughed.

Steve grinned and lazily saluted. “See you at 7:30.”

* * *

2: August 2013

“Jarvis?”

Steve said it so softly, he wasn’t sure the AI would register his voice.

“Yes, Captain?”

“Nothing, I’m being stupid -”

“No, Captain, that cannot be true. You are careful with your words, so I refuse to accept that you’d be stupid with them.”

This paternalism is the quality about Jarvis that amazed Steve the most. No matter what other AI Tony ever created, this element of Jarvis that reflected the man who raised Tony was so special. Steve, who had never had a father figure until Erskine, knew that’s one of the reasons he responded so well to Jarvis - he craved that kind of guidance sometimes.

“Do you think…” Steve halted, licked his lips, and started again. “Do you think he has any idea why I’m doing all of this?”

“No, Captain, I’m afraid he doesn’t,” Jarvis said, a tone of grief in his voice. “But that is to do with Sir himself and not you. I believe he has discounted happiness as a possibility for his life.”

“But he’s so-”

“I know, Captain.”

Steve sat in silence for a second before choosing bravery again. “In all your programming, do you have what Human Jarvis would have said to Tony’s boyfriend?”

“No,” there was a smile in his tone, “but I know what _I_ would say to Tony’s boyfriend and that is to keep trying because Sir is worth it. An obtuse, self-destructive child in so many ways, but worth it.”

“Roger that, Jarvis,” Steve smiled. “So, what do you recommend next?”

“Sir has a weakness for the beach,” Jarvis said. “He’ll protest, but he loves hearing the waves in the morning.”

“Team bonding at the Jersey Shore it is,” Steve clapped his hands. “Thanks, J.”

“A pleasure, Captain.”

* * *

3: September 2013

“His protein counts are dangerously low,” Jarvis reported, his voice quietly sounding from Steve’s phone speaker. “He has me do these scans and then ignores them -”

Steve’s mouth twisted up in a smirk. God, what he wouldn’t give to have met Human Jarvis if this much sass was programmed into the AI version. “I’ve got it, J.”

Steve hauled himself off of the couch and wandered into the kitchen. He grabbed some salmon from the fridge, a spice rub from the pantry, and set a frying pan to low heat. Knowing that Tony was more likely to eat something that could be done with one hand, he avoided any vegetable that involved a knife and threw some edamame in the pot to boil.

“Hey,” Clint called as he entered the kitchen. “It’s, like, ten at night. Why does the kitchen smell like fish?”

“Because I’m cooking salmon,” Steve said, not bothering to turn around.

“Why are you cooking salmon?”

“Because -”

“Because none of your business, Barton,” Nat replied, entering from the other side of the kitchen.

“I am going to make you wear a bell,” Clint groaned. “You move too quietly.”

Nat’s only reply was a grin as she moved towards Steve. In a low voice, she commented, “he hates soy sauce. Don’t forget.”

Steve looked up at her in shock but her gaze was steady.

“If you're thinking teriyaki, just remember he hates soy sauce,” Nat repeated.

Steve nodded and remained silent as Nat herded a recalcitrant Clint out of the kitchen. There would be time to deal with the fallout of Nat knowing exactly what he was up to later. Now? Now there was a genius to feed.

When the dish was done, he prepared two plates - Steve had figured out a while ago that Tony was more inclined to eat if it was with someone - and carried them down to the workshop. As Freddie Mercury flowed into Steve’s ears, he said a silent prayer of thanks that it wasn’t an AC/DC day. He hated AC/DC days.

“Jarvis,” Steve said loudly in his ‘Captain’ voice, “music at 30% and freeze all non-essential workspaces.”

“Hey!” Tony whirled around on his heel as Jarvis followed orders. “Since when do you have override access?”

“Since you gave it to me two months ago,” Steve smirked. “I brought dinner. Eat.”

“I’m not hungry,” Tony replied, turning away from Steve and back to a hologram of something that looked like it had a lot of wires.

“Is that why your hands are shaking slightly?”

“I had a lot of coffee.”

“You don’t have blood in your veins, you have coffee, so try again, Shellhead,” Steve replied.

“I’m in the middle of -”

“Something that is literally more important than preventing you from passing out and having to spend two days in Medical explaining why you’re dehydrated and an idiot?”

Tony scowled and swiped the plate from Steve. He headed over to the couch and Steve followed. They’d only done this routine… oh…. fourteen times?

“I don’t remember giving you override codes,” Tony said around a mouthful of fish.

“It was right after my birthday? When you broke the three ribs and tried to solder the engine mount and Jarvis paged me?”

“Oh, yeah,” Tony waved his fork in absolution. “But that was for emergencies.”

Steve didn’t reply.

“Steven. I said -”

“I know what you said, Tony,” Steve replied. “And I’m ignoring it.”

“You’re ignoring it,” Tony’s eyebrow cocked up in sarcastic confusion.

“Yup,” Steve popped some edamame into his mouth.

“I’m not sure I’m comfortable with that, Capsicle.”

“Well, I’m definitely not comfortable with you dying because you’re an idiot, so we’re tied on that.” Steve fought to keep his voice even.

“I’m not going to die because I skip a few meals,” Tony scoffed. “I’m busy! There’s science to do!”

“I spent my childhood starving, Shellhead. Not like we say we’re starving now, when really we just want some food, I mean we were starving. I watched people die from not eating, I know what that smells like and what that looks like, I will not let it happen to you,” he stared at Tony, enunciating each word carefully.

Slowly, but without breaking that eye contact, Tony put a piece of fish in his mouth. “How many times did you practice that one, Cap?”

“I did drafts with Jarvis,” Steve replied.

Tony started laughing and the sound soothed Steve in ways that nothing else did. He loved Tony’s laugh.

“Fine,” Tony said. “You can keep the codes.”

“Thank you,” Steve said primly. “What are you working on, anyway?”

“Oh!” Tony brightened, “it’s a solar chargeable water filtration unit for Nat to take with her to Colombia next week. The university in Bogota agreed to do some field tests for me before we start mass production.”

“Tell me more,” Steve said, leaning back into the couch and knowing that this was the rest of his night and that he wouldn’t have it any other way.

* * *

4: November 2013

“Captain.”

Steve dropped his pencil. It was around 3 in the morning, but sleep hadn’t been part of his life for days at this point. The serum put him through cycles - times where he could sleep for nearly a full day, others where he went a week without getting more than two hours at a time. “Yes, Jarvis?”

“Sir is having a nightmare.”

Steve was on his feet and moving before Jarvis could continue. He found Tony thrashing in his bed and screaming out Yinsen’s name, hiccuping so hard that Steve was afraid he’d choke on his own saliva. Steve sat on the edge of the bed and said Tony’s name firmly.

The thrashing stopped, and the crying settled to a whimper. _Good, he recognizes my voice. He’ll surface soon_.

This was routine, after all; established over the course of the last five months. Tony had a nightmare, Steve was summoned, everything was well. Steve had a nightmare, Tony was summoned, everything was well. Jarvis facilitated and neither man ever talked about it outside of the event itself.

“Tony, you’re safe,” Steve said, softly but firmly. “You’re not in the cave, you’re in your bed, in the Tower, and we’re all home. Even Thor. You have all of us in the Tower and we’re all safe. You’re safe. Wake up, sweetheart.”

 _Fuck_.

That slipped sometimes.

The whimpering quieted and Tony curled himself towards Steve’s voice. Normally at this point, Steve would take his leave, but tonight…

He was only human, after all.

Tonight he crawled into the bed and pulled the sleeping man towards him. Carding his fingers through Tony’s hair, he murmured calming words to the man he loved.

“You know, Anthony Edward,” Steve whispered, assured by Jarvis that Tony’s vitals were back to REM cycle, “you are the most amazing man. You are, of course, also completely infuriating, but I love you, so help me God. I love your brain, and your hands, and your dreams, and your heart. I love you so much, I wish I could figure out a way to tell you.”

Steve allowed himself to lay there for a few more minutes, dreaming of what life would be like if he was permitted to do this all the time. Then he rearranged Tony and slipped out the room, letting the tears fall freely as he padded back to his bed.

* * *

5: December 2013

“You’re sure.”

Tony’s face and tone both expressed incredulity.

“I said it was no problem, Tony,” Steve shrugged. “What’s a few hundred Christmas cards?”

“It’s 575 personally signed Christmas cards and you have to learn my signature,” Tony clarified. “DUM-E used to do it and he went on protest. It’s a lot.”

Again, Steve shrugged. “Jarvis said you needed help. I came up here to help. I am, in fact, happy to help.”

Tony kept staring at Steve, and Steve started to shift in his seat on the couch. “What, Tony?”

“It’s not possible.”

“What?”

Tony shook his head and leapt off the couch, paced around the room and waved his arms wildly. “Pepper told me to ask you, that I’d know for sure if you said yes, that it would be true because no one would do this menial, pain in the ass, useless task unless you did and she was right and I know Pepper is always right but this felt too big, too good, too something for Pep to be right about this too, but holy fuck is she? Is she right?”

At the last question, Tony flopped back on the couch and looked expectantly at Steve.

“Is she right?” The question came out in a whisper this time. “Do you… do you like me?”

Before Steve could answer, Tony combat rolled off the couch with a groan. “Oh god, how juvenile. What a terrible question, I should have passed you a note with check boxes like we were in third grade. Forget I said any-”

Tony was cut off when Steve reached down and lifted him up by the armpits. Placing Tony on his lap, Steve cupped Tony’s jaw and replied softly. “She’s right. I like you a lot.”

“You do?”

Steve smiled and nodded. “Do you like me, Tony?”

“A lot,” he whispered.

“Good, because I need to do this.”

Steve leaned forward and pressed his lips to Tony’s, praying that this wasn’t a dream. Tony let out a huff of surprise, which allowed Steve to tease his tongue inside Tony’s mouth. He grasped the back of Tony’s head in an effort to bring him even closer and, without disconnected, Tony rearranged himself on top of Steve so that he was straddling the blonde.

When they pulled apart - several moments later - Tony grinned. “So, this definitely means you’re helping with the cards for the SI board and their besties.”

Steve laughed. “I’ll do anything to make your life easier, Tony.”

“Well, you’ve been making it harder for months.” Tony ground down on Steve’s crotch to prove his point.

“You haven’t been making anything easy for over a year, Tony,” Steve replied, knowing just what Tony was asking.

“That long?”

Steve nodded.

“We better stop wasting time then,” Tony smiled and leaned back down for another kiss.

* * *

+1: December 2016

The year had been hard - there were no bones about it. Finding Bucky had thrown all of them for a loop, but especially Steve. Tony had spent hours working with Bucky with BARF, but the real toll had been on his boyfriend. Watching Bucky heal was excruciating for Steve, not knowing what version of his best friend would emerge and how to be most helpful. Feeling useless was not a good look for Steve Rogers.

So Bucky worked hard, with Nat’s help and with most of the world’s leading trauma and neurology experts. Tony and Pepper made sure the legal side of things were clear for honored WWII veteran James Barnes to return to life, if he so chose, and Steve… Steve did a lot of volunteer work with orphaned children to distract himself.

Finally, at the beginning of December, Barnes was given the all clear that he was as in control of himself as he’d ever be and Tony had gone to his rooms to ask a very specific question.

_“He worked with Jarvis to take care of me,” Tony grinned, “and he still does. So I was thinking about who his Jarvis is, and I wondered if it was you.”_

_Bucky shook his head. “I ain’t that, not anymore, but I can tell you that his ma woulda loved you. You need someone who knows him now, it’s Wilson, or Widow.”_

_Tony nodded and Bucky continued. “But I wanna be. That’s the goal here. Because the real answer right now is that it’s you, but I’m here now and I can help. We can be the caring conspiracy team for Rogers.”_

_Tony grinned and dug a box out of his pocket. “Just make sure you’re around for the family holiday party, okay?”_

_Bucky’s eyes had a sheen of tears. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world, pal.”_

The Tower was brimming with everyone they loved. Thor had brought a giant roasted beast of some sort that he could keep using the name of all he wanted, but Tony was never going to understand what it was beyond ‘delicious’. Nat, Bucky, Pep, and Rhodey were all up to date on what Tony was about to do, and they all constantly reassured him that Steve had basically already said yes a million times and that this was a formality. Tony was still bricking it.

Presents were exchanged, songs were sung, and Tony had told Nat to make him do it before everyone got too drunk - ie, before Thor broke out the Asgardian mead. She made eyes at him, and Tony nodded.

“Um, can I get everyone’s eyes for a few seconds? And maybe your ears?” Tony said loudly, and his secret keepers got everyone to calm down quickly. Steve looked at Tony with a funny expression on his face. Tony smiled softly at his hopefully-almost-finance and continued.

“I have loved Captain America since, oh, the age of 11,” Tony said to a round of laughter. “But I had no idea how much I’d love Steve Rogers until more recently. I do, however, and I have a lot of you to thank. Mostly Jarvis, for being Steve’s wingman there for a bit. Anyway, I’m not the speeches one in this relationship when it comes to being serious so before I wander into flippancy territory out of sheer nerves…”

He turned around, got on one knee in front of Steve and produced the small box he’d shown Bucky that one night. “Steven Grant Rogers, I never thought I got happy ever afters, but I’m starting to think I might, but only if you’re mine. Marry me?”

Steve held Tony’s gaze for a minute and then smiled. “How many times did you rehearse that, Shellhead?”

“Jarvis and I went through drafts,” Tony replied. The room laughed, having no idea that Steve had just said ‘yes’.

Steve leaned forward and hauled his fiance onto his lap, kissing Tony soundly, while also slipping the ring on his finger. When they broke apart, Steve marveled at the simple metal band (“How hard was it for you to not get me something covered in sapphires and whatnot?” “Nearly impossible, Jarvis talked me out of it.”) and everyone cheered their congratulations.

Later that night, when the men were in bed, Tony called out to Jarvis.

“Yes, Sir?”

“Thanks, buddy.”

“It was my pleasure, Sir. My absolute pleasure.”

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [Twitter](http://www.twitter.com/betheflame1) or [Tumblr](http://betheflame.tumblr.com) for more on these yahoos. You can also submit prompts and cajole me into writing faster - it usually works. If you're on Discord, I'm definitely there, too, and probably hanging in the [Stony](https://discord.gg/z5WSqbS) or [Stuckony](https://discord.gg/jtXcc3n) servers.  
> Oh! And FestiveFerret and I have a [fandom podcast](http://www.podonthesuit.com) if you're so inclined.  
>   
> 


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